1. Field of The Invention
This invention is directed towards a combined air conditioning system incorporating selective ventilation in terms of removing air from the interior of a building which has already been "conditioned" in terms of either heating or cooling and supplying such previously conditioned air back to the air intake of an air conditioning assembly. This system thereby takes full advantage of natural heat accummulation within a building interior due to the existence of people, machines, etc. and recycled back to the intake of the air conditioning assembly of the heated or cooled air within the building interior.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with ventilating and air conditioning systems structured either independently or in combination with one another which are specifically designed for operation in an effective, efficient manner to condition the air within given building structure to the extent of either heating or cooling such conditioned air. The great increase in energy costs associated with air conditioning systems, particularly for industrial type facilities, has made the development and operation of efficient systems a necessity.
Various designs and operational characteristics have been attempted in order to provide a more efficient system incorporating a low cost of operation thereof. The following U.S. patents disclose structures, systems and operational characteristics which are representative of prior art attempts to provide a heating and cooling system having a maximum operating efficiency in terms of cost and performance. Representative prior art patents including Samuelsson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,837; Otsjuka, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,327; Grun et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,776; Thunberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,321; and Beeler, U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,165.
In particular, the patent to Beeler as set forth above discloses an air conditioning system wherein separate systems are provided to compensate for the heat load passing through the wall of the structure being conditioned. These separate systems accommodate the heat generated internally by the lights in the structure and for the heat and moisture produced by the people occupying the interior of the structure. It is set forth and in this manner, the system performs most efficiently since it is not necessary to provide fresh humidity controlled air to one or more of the above set forth systems disclosed therein. More specifically, a perimeter system controls the flow of heat through the walls and roof of the building, a light cooling system controls the heating of the interior of the building and interior system supplies properly treated air to contact with people occupying the building.
Even in light of the above prior art systems and structures, there is a need for a preferred combined air conditioning and ventilating system including structure which utilizes "conditioned" air forced into the interior conditioned space as an air supply for the air conditioning assembly. Accordingly, greater efficiency and low cost of operation results in supplying somewhat heated air to the air conditioning assembly when in its heated air mode and conversely somewhat cool or cooler air is supplied to the intake of the air conditioning system when it is in its air cooling mode.